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Your brain is a muscle, and so keeping it sharp and healthy requires constant workouts. Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

As the saying goes, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Thanks to modern science and research, however, we now know that when it comes to the brain, that simply isn’t true. In fact, it’s far from it.

Thanks to an astonishing ability called “neuroplasticity,” that old adage doesn’t apply to the brain, as it can actually adapt and change even when we’re into old age, and that all it needs is the correct stimulation in order to form new neural pathways.

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Contrary to popular belief, the brain is actually capable of learning all throughout your life. Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

In short, your brain stays powerful all throughout your life, and that ability to keep reshaping itself is important in order to keep your cognitive skills/functions at their peak. But how do you do it?

What is Cognitive Function?

Before we delve deeper, let's talk about cognitive function and why is it so important. The cognitive process is our brain’s own intellectual system, and it’s what helps us be aware of, comprehend, and make our own ideas. It also helps take those ideas and clarifies them so that we’ll know how to recognize and react to them.

In short, the cognitive process helps us make sense of the world, and without it, we’d probably be drinking our coffee while it’s scalding hot, or trying to eat books instead of reading them.

As such, it’s important to take care of your cognitive skills, whether you’re a student studying for an exam, a professional trying to stay on top of your game and career, or a senior who’s simply looking to stay sharp even as you enter old age.

Thankfully, enhancing your brain performance in order to think more clearly and sharply isn’t all that difficult, and here are some tips that will help you improve your cognitive prowess:

1. Exercise

Let’s admit it, some of us enjoy physical activity, while some of us outright avoid it like the plague. However, if you really want to keep that brain sharp all the time, then we suggest you get up and actually start sweating. This is because research has proven time and again that constant physical activity via exercise helps sharpen our mind’s focus and ability to think.

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Exercise has been to help boost your cognitive prowess, so make sure you get your daily fix. Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

This is because exercise gets the blood flowing, which then helps your brain gets the oxygen and nutrients that it needs to perform at its peak, all while helping stave off any neurological diseases. Additionally, exercising also helps boost your short-term memory for about 2-3 hours after doing it. Lastly, physical activity is also know to help burn off excess energy, which is why a lot of people go for a jog or a walk in order to think more clearly or improve their focus. As such, constant exercise is key to a healthy brain, so get up and talk a walk!

2. Teach it New Tricks

The brain is a muscle, and the more you use it, the stronger (or smarter) it gets. So do this by learning something new, such as picking up an instrument or taking up a skill that you have zero experience in. The idea is that you are continuously challenging your brain. Musical training, in particular, is known to improve the connectivity of different regions in our brain, while practicing how to play an instrument helps increase our brain volume because it integrates a wider range of sensory information.

It doesn’t have to be a musical instrument either, as studies show that participating in other brain-stimulating activities such as reading books or writing helps preserve cognitive function.

And hey, these activities are also rewarding and can make you happy, which is always good.

3. Take Supplements

Helping your brain perform at its best can be greatly improved by taking brain supplements and vitamins. There are plenty of good products in the market, and BrainGear is easily one of the best out there today.

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BrainGear currently comes in two delicious flavors. braingear.com

Started by someone like you who also experienced a challenging work environment that left their brain spent all the time, BrainGear is made on the idea that much working out to keep heart strong, and brushing our teeth to keep them healthy, we should also be doing something to take care of our brain.

As such, BrainGear is born. Developed by a team of neurologists and experts, BrainGear is essentially a science-backed convenient drink that contains all the nutrients that are proven to help keep your brain sharp. Non-GMO and free from any soy, gluten, BPA, or sugar, BrainGear is also made from all-natural ingredients, and is guaranteed to have no additives whatsoever. And because it’s made in a liquid format, it’s optimized for maximum absorption, letting BrainGear map out the effects you’ll feel when you take them. Days 2 and 5 will let you feel clearer and more productive, weeks 1-4 will improve your memory, sleep and mood, while ongoing consumption will assist you with your overall well-being and cognitive support.

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Some of the benefits you may get from BrainGear. braingear.com

Containing no more than research-backed 13 nutrients meant to target your grey matter, BrainGear currently comes in two flavors, and you may get yourselves your bottles here. Free shipping applies to 48 U.S. states, so don’t forget to take advantage of it!

4. Eat a Brain-Boosting Diet

While supplemental drinks like BrainGear can definitely nudge your brain in the right direction, it’s also important to pair it with a diet that is just as beneficial. Thankfully, Mother Nature always provides, and affordable brain-boosting foods can be easily found in the market today.

First off, get your omega-3s (which are fatty acids that are beneficial for brain health) from cold-water fishes like salmon, sardines, herring, trout, mackerel and tuna. If you’re not fond of seafood, you may get it from flaxseed, broccoli, spinach, pumpkin seeds and soybean. Next, limit your consumption of calories and saturated fat, such as red meat, cheese, cream and butter.

After that, make sure that you eat a lot of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables that will help you protect your brain from damage. Drink green tea as well, as they contain polyphenols that are powerful in protecting your brain from free radicals. Drinking wine or grape juice in moderation is helpful as well, as they are rich in resveratrol, a flavonoid that helps boost blood flow to the brain and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. You can also find resveratrol in cranberry juice, fresh grapes, berries and even peanuts.

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Besides supplements like BrainGear, eating a healthy diet helps a lot as well. Photo by Pixabay (CC0)

5. Get Plenty of Sleep

After a long day of eating a brain-boosting diet and training your brain by learning something new, make sure that you give it enough time to rest and recover by sleeping, too. For decades, scientists have known that our brain requires sleep to consolidate both learning and memory. In fact, key memory-enhancing activity actually happens during the deepest stages of our sleep, and so it’s important to get a lot of it.

Taking naps throughout the day is also helpful, as power naps that take 20 minutes help enhance motor skills and attention, while an hour to 90 minutes helps you make new brain connections. So keep this in mind, and don’t feel guilty when your body is craving for some rest.

Knowledge is Power

So there you go, five tips to improve your cognitive prowess and keep you sharp all the time. The brain is an amazing organ that is capable of so many things, but it’s up to you to take care of it via exercises, supplements, and eating a good diet.

Keep doing all these tips, and you will find yourself keeping your sharp wit and clear thinking even as you enter your golden years.